Police chief says North High students had 'mob mentality'

Dismissal time was well-attended at North High School yesterday, one day after a melee between students and police broke out on Hamilton Street about a half-mile from the school.

Besides the usual lineup of parents outside the school on Harrington Way, there were police cruisers, reporters, cameramen and a photographer. More cruisers were staged at Our Lady of Perpetual Help on Hamilton Street. After the buses rolled, Principal Matthew C. Morse took a drive down Hamilton and around the neighborhood to make sure everything was calm. “Things seemed fine,” he said.

On Monday afternoon, a large group of students at Hamilton and Stratfield streets apparently became enraged when two officers talked to a 15-year-old boy who had been yelling obscenities at them. According to a police press release, 40 to 50 teens surrounded the officers and would not disperse. Police called for backup, and soon there were 15 officers at the scene.

“The officers were encircled,” Police Chief Gary J. Gemme said. “It was a mob mentality and was very difficult to deal with.”

What started with teens refusing to leave progressed to three teens and the mother of one of them punching police officers and a fifth person jumping on a police officer's back. One officer's leg was broken in two places when a teen began fighting with him and another officer andthey all fell to the ground. Police used pepper spray.

In the end, five people were charged with assault and battery on a police officer, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and disturbing the peace. The 15-year-old whose swearing started the incident was nowhere to be found at the end of it all, but was charged with disorderly conduct and disturbing the peace.

The older teenagers and parent — Emmanuel Natal, 18, of 194 Ingleside Ave.; Jasmine Hudson, 17, of 25 Chrome St.; John Clough, 17, of 72 Fairmont Ave., Apt. 2; and Elize Rivera, 37, of 41 Cutler St. — were arraigned yesterday at Central District Court and their cases were continued to January.

The students were not in school yesterday and will remain out while administrators decide whether the students are a safety risk, according to School Superintendent Melinda J. Boone. The 15-year-old is not participating on the basketball team, pending further investigation, she said.

Mayor Joseph M. Petty called a meeting with Ms. Boone and City Manager Michael V. O'Brien yesterday and sought to reassure people that the schools are safe and that the acts in question would not be tolerated.

“This type of behavior from our students is extremely disturbing and frankly not acceptable,” Ms. Boone said in a statement she and the mayor released.

Robert F. Pezzella, School Department safety liaison, said earlier in the day, “We are saddened by the injuries that occurred yesterday to our Worcester police officers.”

Monday night, Mr. Morse sent an automated phone message to parents and yesterday morning reminded students to act with “respect, tolerance and understanding” whether they are on-campus or off, he said.

He said future dismissals will take place with extra vigilance, although the school already posts staff members at the end of the driveway. Mr. Morse also attends neighborhood watch meetings and encouraged neighbors to call him with any concerns.

Chief Gemme said having massive numbers of students released from school at the same time is a challenge.

Police were on Hamilton Street because on Friday an off-duty officer saw a fight in the area at dismissal time and stopped. The three youths allegedly attacked the officer, and police said they arrested three students and dispersed 30 students.

“By all indications, these incidents were isolated and not indicative of the appropriate behavior and demeanor of the majority of students who currently attend North High School,” Ms. Boone said.

While situations like Hamilton Street are a concern, Chief Gemme seemed even more troubled by the area around City Hall, where students from throughout the district are dropped off by the busload. Worcester public school students were involved in a fight near the 7-Eleven near City Hall Monday about the same time as the Hamilton Street altercation. A man, who is expected to survive, was stabbed several times outside 7-Eleven.

The chief said he will continue discussions with Mr. O'Brien and school officials about students pouring into the City Hall area and mass dismissals from schools.

The portion of North High students who walk to school is less than a third of the 1,270-member student body, Mr. Morse said. Parents who were picking their students up at dismissal time yesterday said they were somewhat worried, but relieved the fight had not happened at school. Fred Brunelle, whose son goes to North, said he was “a little bit” worried and said kids have changed. “It's a different time,” he said.

Frank Vazquez, another North parent, said he had tried to persuade his son to go to Worcester Technical High School, but his son insisted on North. “As a parent, you worry. That's why I'm here every day to pick him up,” Mr. Vazquez said.